Toys are often designed to have play value by simulating a real object but in a safe manner and at a reasonable expense. Guns and rifles have been marketed as toys for decades and include such devices as water pistols and rifles, cap guns, BB guns and rifles, dart guns and NERF TM brand launchers that discharge a soft foam toy dart. Attempts to design a NERF brand launcher to simulate a sub-machine or Tommy gun have run into a major problem. The soft foam of a NERF brand dart compresses and/or distorts when pressed together with another dart or when packed against a harder surface, so that jamming of the darts prevents proper operation of the launcher apparatus.
Gun locking devices are known for real guns and rifle as disclosed in several existing patents. By way of example, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,560 for a “Firearm With Safety Device” issued in 1997 to Meller, which purports to disclose a lock to disable a firearm from firing a cartridge. The device operates a latch that is extended or retracted to lock or unlock the firearm. In the case of a pump-action rifle, the device is placed in a wooden hand guard covering a sliding lever to enable the latch to extend into a hole in a fixed tubular magazine. When locked, the sliding lever is inoperable and hence the rifle cannot be cocked and loaded. U.S. Pat. No. 6,256,917 for a “Lockable Safety For Firearms” issued in 2001 to Findlay, purports to disclose a rotatable cylinder having a notch in a portion of its circumference. The cylinder is placed behind a trigger mechanism, and when locked prevents the trigger from moving rearward. When unlocked, the notch is behind the trigger and sufficient room is provided for the trigger to move fully in the usual manner. U.S. Pat. No. 6,510,639 for a “Firearm Safety Lock” issued in 2003 to McMoore, purports to disclose a lock within a firearm grip to provide a mechanical interruption to the trigger mechanism in the well-known Colt Government Model 1911 automatic pistol that has a palm grip safety and a linear action trigger. U.S. Pat. No. 6,775,941 for a “Built-In Gun Lock For A Pump-Action Shotgun” issued in 2004 to McNulty, Jr., purports to disclose a key operated swivel arm mounted to a slide arm of the shotgun which rotates 90° between a non interference location to allow operation of the gun and an interference location which causes an abutment between the swivel arm and a blocking ring when there is an attempt to use the slide arm to cock the gun. U.S. Pat. No. 6,889,459 for a “Model 1911 Type Firearm Safety Lock” issued in 2005 to Salvitti, purports to disclose a lock device which blocks a hammer rod from moving and thereby blocks movement of the firearm's hammer.
These patents are of some interest, however, they describe devices that are purely safety features that prevent the gun or rifle from any normal operation until the device is removed or opened, and after removal or being opened, the gun operates in a typical manner without interruption. The lock device has no further function until after use of the gun is completed. The lock devices for real guns and rifles also tend to be overly complicated and expensive and thus are not appropriate for toy guns and rifles, and of more importance, do not function to prevent jamming.